The Internet has made large amounts of information available to computer users. For many users, access to this information has become essential. Yet connecting a private network to the Internet can expose critical data to attack from anywhere in the world. Users who connect a computer to the Internet need to be aware of these dangers and how to protect their data and systems. Many users set up a firewall to help monitor and defend their computer from Internet attacks. However, configuring appropriate firewall security settings can be difficult for some users.
Some applications allow a user to select different firewall security settings for public vs. private networks. When a new connection is detected, the firewall software will typically prompt the user to specify whether it is a private or public network. The firewall software then configures the firewall to low or high security based on the user's response.
The ability for a user to manually specify a local network type is certainly useful, but it relies on the user to make the correct determination whether the network is private or public. Unfortunately, incorrect classification leads to either an insecure system that can be attacked or to valuable features or services being blocked by the firewall.